Greece's ruling socialist PASOK party yesterday recommended dismissal of an outspoken deputy for his recent criticism directed against Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou and his wife, Dimitra. The decision was unanimously backed by PASOK's disciplinary committee, which convened at length yesterday evening to review comments by MP Kyriakos Spyriounis.
Last week, Mr. Spyriounis criticised Mr. Papandreou, calling on the 75-year-old prime minister to step down from PASOK's leadership. His suggestion was coupled with caustic remarks against Dimitra Liani-Papandreou.
"Mr. Spyriounis' statements relating to Mr. Papandreou and his behaviour in recent weeks have violated all standards of ethics," according to the decision of the PASOK committee. "His remark calling for the prime minister's resignation violates every rule on party and parliamentary conduct and is interpreted as an insult to the founder of PASOK," it added.
Mr. Spyriounis was not present at the meeting but sent a memorandum blasting the party and government.
The committee's decision was referred to the PASOK Central Committee, which will take final action against the retired general. By the same decision, Mr. Spyriounis was stripped of his party rights until issuance of a Central Committee decision.
Reacting to the disciplinary committee's decision last night, the Thessaloniki deputy said the decision left him "indifferent," indicating the decision had been taken beforehand. Mr. Spyriounis placed his hopes of not being dismissed on PASOK's Central Committee, reiterating that he would not distance himself from the party regardless of the outcome.
Commenting on the decision in Thessaloniki, Mr. Spyriounis called the committee a "counter-disciplinary committee," adding that "members of the committee made statements of my guilt even before the body convened and took a decision." He clarified that this was the reason he did not appear before the committee to state his case.
Mr. Spyriounis said he would hand over his party identification card only if this was decided by the party's Central Committee, where he predicted "the conflict between the old and the new will vindicate Gen. Spyriounis." He reiterated his assessment that both the party and the government were in decline and claimed that "old party conceptions do not allow the overturning of the situation."
In another development, Industry and Energy Minister Costas Simitis and PASOK Deputy Vasso Papandreou expressed opposition to the disciplinary committee's decision.
Mr. Simitis said political problems were not handled with dismissals and prohibitions. "Disciplinary decisions merely cover them up for a while," he said.
Ms. Papandreou said "PASOK members from the president on down" have the duty of preoccupying themselves with the serious problems faced by the country and citizens. She said this required political operation of the party, namely a substantive dialogue and democratic functioning. "Those who encourage disciplinary action and the penalisation of views, regardless if they are extreme, undertake great responsibilities," she added.
Turkey's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Inal Batu, accused Greece of "nurturing expansionist designs" against his country, saying "these also jeopardised the stability and peace in the region." According to a dispatch Thursday by the "Anadolu" news agency, Mr. Batu made his accusations in a letter to UN Chief Boutros Boutros-Ghali. In his letter, Mr. Batu also made reference to Greece's alleged "support" to the separatist Kurdish Workers Party (PKK).
Reportedly noting "Greece's shameless behaviour," the letter accuses Greece of "violating" the rights of a Moslem minority in Thrace. Mr. Batu also said Greece refused to begin a "substantial" dialogue with Turkey, adding that: "The fact that Greece rejects dialogue is due to its expansionist policy in the Aegean."
The Culture Ministry yesterday announced the establishment of an Athens-based European Society for modern Greek studies. The ministry also quadrupled its subsidy to 128 modern Greek studies programmes at foreign universities.
According to the articles of association, the society urges countries who don't have a national society to establish one so they can be members. Culture Minister Thanos Mikroutsikos said the society was a "break-through, since it covers modern Greek studies over a wide of countries, from the Atlantic to the Urals.
Press Minister Evangelos Venizelos called on ex-king Constantine to accept two things if he wished to obtain Greek citizenship and its relevant rights. First, to respond to specific legal preconditions. And second, to behave as befitted a Greek citizen, namely, to honour constitutional decisions of the Greek people.
Speaking in Australia, the deposed monarch again questioned a 1974 referendum abolishing the monarchy in Greece. He also requested journalists address him as "your majesty."
Two more C-130 "Hercules" military transport planes took off yesterday for Belgrade loaded with humanitarian aid for Krajina Serb refugees fleeing Croatia. Each plane carried 18 tons of foodstuffs, medical supplies, footwear and blankets. Participating in the aid mission are doctors, translators and other personnel. Three additional C-130s with humanitarian aid are scheduled to depart for Belgrade today, completing the first phase of a Greek aid mission which began Tuesday.
Meanwhile, military hospitals in northern Greece are keeping beds available for treatment of wounded refugees. In a related development, the Foreign Ministry announced that the government opened two bank accounts in which private citizens, organisations and associations may deposit contributions for the refugees.
In Belgrade, the newspaper "Politika" wrote that Greek Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias had a telephone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev, where Mr. Papoulias expressed his deep concern over dramatic developments in the former Yugoslavia. The Belgrade paper also ran an article on Greece's dispatch of humanitarian aid to Krajina refugees.
According to an ANA report from Sremska in Serbia, the Greek charge d' affaires in Belgrade, Michalis Spinelis, yesterday visited a refugee camp in the region. He was accompanied by Capt. Dertilis, in charge of the Greek humanitarian mission.
Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) party Eurodeputy Alecos Alavanos yesterday called for suspension of Croatia's participation in the Community Funding Programme PHARE, in a question submitted to the European Union Council of Ministers. Mr. Alavanos said the reasons behind his proposal were Croatia's violations of UN resolutions, a break-through of UN peacekeeping lines in Krajina and a policy "ethnic cleansing."
Mr. Alavanos also called for Croatia's condemnation to discourage the former Yugoslav republic from opening of a new front in eastern Slavonia. "It is cynical and hypocritical that the international community and particularly the European Union continue an embargo against Serbia, which despite provocations has remained out of the conflict in Krajina, and cover up with guilty inaction and silence the Croatian army, which created a further 200,000 refugees in the former Yugoslavia."
New prospects for co-operation are being considered between the Evros Prefecture and the Bulgarian region of Haskovo, following a meeting yesterday between delegations of the two border areas. The delegations met at the Ormenio border checkpoint in the Evros prefecture. Both sides agreed to undertake initiatives aimed at development, promotion and further strengthening of relations between the two regions.
Evros Prefect Giorgos Dolios proposed to Haskovo Regional Governor Angel Naidenov the creation of a free trade zone along the Greek-Bulgarian border where products from both countries will be displayed. Travel visas would be abolished in the zone after consultations are held with each nation's foreign ministry, while transactions and communication between the two neighbours would be upgraded.
Mr. Dolios proposed a joint event at the Ormenio and Svielegrad customs offices, where ambassadors from Black Sea countries will be invited, as well as representatives of transport companies and travel agencies, to promote the region.
Mr. Naidenov called such meetings "small diplomacy" in improving relations between the two nations. He also commented on potential co-operation between Evros and Haskovo in culture, ecology, education, economic matters and regional development issues.
Referring to Mr. Dolios' two proposals, Mr. Naidenov said he viewed them positively, but reserved reply for a future meeting between the two sides. The next meeting between officials of two adjacent regions is scheduled for Sept. 15 at Haskovo's headquarters.
The Hellenic General Air Staff has invited tenders for modernisation of the Greek Air Force's F-4 Phantom fighters in order to prolong the service life of the aircraft and to install state-of-the-art electronic equipment. The invitation to tender follows a decision taken by National Defence Minister Gerasimos Arsenis at Monday's Defence Council meeting. The United States, Germany and Israel have already expressed interest in undertaking the modernisation project.
An Athens court yesterday deferred until Sept. 22 a hearing for petition of provisional remedies filed by Ioanna and Pyrros Vardinoyiannis against their brothers, Pavlos and Demosthenes and uncles, Vardis and Theodoros Vardinoyiannis.
In their petition, Ioanna and Pyrros request copies of all documentation on general meetings of the well-known Greek petroleum company Motoroil Hellas, as well as other companies belonging to the Vardinoyiannis group since July 1973. Motoroil was founded by their father, Nikos Vardinoyiannis, the older brother of Vardis and Theodoros. Nikos Vardinoyiannis died in 1973.
Ioanna and Pyrros Vardinoyiannis' stated objective in filing the petition is to verify the legality of transfers of Motoroil shares and formation of the company Motoroil Holdings. Under an agreement announced in June, the Saudi Arabian state-owned oil conglomerate Aramco will acquire a 50 per cent stake in Motoroil and Avin, both owned by the Vardinoyiannis shipping and refining group. Ioanna and Pyrros, at whose request yesterday's deferral was granted, have opposed the deal.
In another action to be heard Oct. 5, the siblings will request a court official be appointed to record all assets which they're entitled to under their father's will. They also seek information on how their inheritance has been used up to now.
In the action against Vardis and Theodoros Vardinoyiannis, the plaintiffs claim that after their father's death and because they were minors at the time, administration of property and assets which they inherited were assigned to their two uncles. Since then, they maintain, their uncles have never informed them about the assets, even after they became adults and despite repeated written and verbal protests.
The secretary general for expatriates in the Macedonia-Thrace Ministry, Nikos Ioannides, announced yesterday that a host programme for children from Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries will be held next summer. The programme is organised with the co-operation of the ministry, the National Welcoming and Rehabilitation Institution for Expatriates and local prefectures.
The total number of civil servants decreased by 2,619 employees in the first quarter of 1995, according to an announcement by the Ministry to the Prime Minister's Office. Their numbers dropped from 516,318 at the end of last year to 513,699 by March 31, 1 995. Applicants who passed a recent government-sponsored nation-wide examination will be appointed within time limits anticipated by Law 2190/94. Their appointment must be completed before the end of the year.
The price of gasoline will increase as of today by 2.3 drachmas per litre. Diesel rises by 0.5 drachmas per litre. According to an announcement by the Public Petroleum Corp., this is due to an increase in international prices of gasoline and diesel as well as dollar parity against the drachma.
Main opposition New Democracy party spokesman Vassilis Magginas said the government is taking advantage of an upcoming holiday next week to announce new fuel price increases. "When the price of fuel decreases world-wide, the government does not make the proportional decrease in Greece, the price only changes when it is increased," he said.
"One realises once more the untrustworthiness of the government," Mr. Magginas added. "Also, the government, as usual, has forgotten its promise to reduce the price of fuel for farmers, but has announced an increase."
Panathinaikos of Athens drew 0-0 with Hajduk Split of Croatia in a European Champions' Cup preliminary round, first leg match in Athens last night.